07 September 2008

Kim Jong Il close to croaking?

Well Sky News says so and so does the International Herald Tribune citing a South Korean newspaper. This is on the basis that he hasn't been seen in public for three weeks (which isn't actually that much of a big deal in North Korea). The South Korean National Intelligence Service says he has heart disease and diabetes, which means he wont outlast his father (and let's face it Kim Jong Il since his teens has had a rich lifestyle, with little need to undertake any work), and apparently several Chinese doctors entered the country and remain there (though this could mean anything).

The Korean Central News Agency (which has an absolute monopoly on news from North Korea) of course says nothing of General Secretary Kim Jong Il. In fact its news reports are worth reading for tragic/humour value. Take this:

"Art performance "Really Good Country" of kindergarteners from across the country was given at the Pyongyang Schoolchildren's Palace on Sept. 4 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the DPRK...The numbers included small chorus "The General Goes along the Endless Road to the Front" and instrumental ensemble "Bean-based Milk Van Dashes Forward" which make one keenly feel the noble traits of General Secretary Kim Jong Il."

Well yes "Bean-based milk van dashes forward" certainly inspire feelings about Kim Jong Il, especially if stands in front of it. If there wasn't so much vile tragedy, murder, brainwashing and psychological abuse in this nightmare necrocracy (as Christopher Hitchens points out, the 14 year dead Kim Il Sung is still President), it would be really funny.

Meanwhile North Korea stopped disabling its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon, after blackmailing the world to keep propping its vile regime up, and continues to enslave and torture children of political prisoners in gulags.

Meanwhile the Green Party says nothing about either.

UPDATE: Now, according to the Daily Telegraph, a Japanese professor claims Kim Jong Il has been dead since 2003, and doubles have been used ever since for speeches and public appearances. He has written a book called "The True Character of Kim Jong Il". I'm not convinced, but such a hermetically sealed state will create such speculation. It is also known that several dictators had doubles, including Saddam Hussein, and Albania's Enver Hoxha - the latter of which inspired the novel/story by New Zealand author Lloyd Jones called "Biografi", which is definitely a good read.

1 comment:

Stephanie said...

Last year german doctors apparently performed heart surgery on dear leader.